'Memoir for the Indian Political Service - Scheme by Lieut. Colonel L.A.G. Pinhey O.B.E.' [‎20r] (39/44)

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The 'last lap * - India between the end of the Second World War
from 1945 till August 1947*
After VE Day 1945 as many officers ^rh-o- could be spared were
sent on short leave of two to three months as many of us had
had no home leave for some years. I myself had returned from
home leave in September 1937 and spent the following eight
years in India without home leave.
On return from this short leave in 1945 I was posted as Polit
ical Agent Eastern Rajputana States with Headquarters at
Bharatpur. My charge consisted of the Jat States of Bharatpur
and Dholpur and the Rajput States of Kotah, Bundi, Jhalawar
and Karauli. Of course the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. had no direct ad
ministrative powers or functions in any of those States but
was the link between the Rulers of the States and the Government
of India through the Agents to the Government of India in
Rajputana whose headquarters were at the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. in Ajmer
for the three winter months.
As Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. I made fairly frequent tours to all the
States in my charge and was the guest of all the Rulers who
discussed any questions which were connected with the relation
ship between themselves and the Government of India, and prac
tised much hospitality and entertainment during the visits.
The States varied considerably in their type of Government but
during my time there were no major problems that required any
intervention by the Paramount Power, i.e. the Government of
India.
The major function of my time in the Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. was the instal
lation of the Maharaja of Karauli. This was one of the most
backward of the States in the Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. and the Ruler was all-
powerful but had as his Chief Minister a retired Provincial
Officer of the Ajmer-Merwara administration. During my visit
to this State I was entertained to a tiger-shoot and bagged
my first tiger from a Machan in a tree - a proceeding of which
I am not particularly proudI During my stay in Rajputana I
shot only two tigers which was quite enough for me! These
tiger-shoots in Indian States were laid on by the Ruler and
the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. or A.G.G. or even Viceroy had no part in